>> About Pokaran

Made famous by India’s nuclear tests, the small town of Pokaran lies on the highway that links Jodhpur to Jaisalmer. It’s 110 km east of Jaisalmer and 171 km north of Jodhpur. While the chief attraction here is Fort Pokaran, with its museum and heritage hotel, there is a lot to be explored around Pokaran too. The museum is obscure but intresting, housing artifacts ranging from armoury to collected by the Pokaran family over the years. (The thakurs of Pokaran were nobles in the darbar of Jodhpur).A part of Fort Pokaran was converted into a heritage hotel by the present Thakur and his wife, with the aim of promoting Pokaran as a tourist destination.

Village safaris from Pokaran include visits to nearby potters villages, where terracotta work is done, and weavers villages. This NGO was set up in 1991 with the idea of streamlining the production and marketing of textiles woven by its member village in Jodhpur and Jiasalmer districts. These textiles are woven in the traditional ‘pattu’ style of weaving, with kashida or ornamentation on the surface of the fabric. While the original textiles were mostly wool. The product range from kurtas, shawls, stoles and jackets to bags, table mats and soft furnishings. Products are retailed through exhibitions, bazaars and exports.

About 10 km east of Pokaran is Ramdeora, the temple built around the Samadhi of Bhagwan Ramdeoji Maharaj, revered by Muslims as Ramshahpir or Ramapir. He was at Tunvar Rajput, believed by the Hindus to be a reincarnation of lord Krishna. Legend has it that five pirs from Mecca came to test his miraculous powers and after being convinced of them, paid him homage. He is thus revered by both Hindus and Muslims. Ramdeoji took Samadhi in 1459. A tomb was built at the spot and subsequently a temple around Agust-September, when devotees from all over throng the temple.